Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Loving Condescension

I love contemplating Daddy's power. The truth of its magnificence absolutely floors me. The gift of discerning of spirits further promotes my awe but, really, all anyone needs is an earnest love for Him and a properly-functioning mind to be utterly dazzled.

Believe it or not, I think what awes me most about God's power is how unassuming He is about it. For one thing, pride is not in His nature; but another solid point I see is, when you have it all (and I meanall), why flaunt it?

God delights in loving condescension. Good thing He does, too, because there's nothing and no one greater than Him so in everything, except for His communion with the Godhead, He must condescend. He told me once that "loving" condescension never stoops to make one feel 'low', but reaches down to 'bring one up'. I think that's marvelous. I'm grateful He feels that way. Loving condescension; God wears it well.

I recall being at a conference one summer where, during service, folks really began jumping and shouting and dancing and screaming in joy... one woman just jumped up and down in place, shaking her head feverishly from side to side like she was on fire. She was. In the spirit realm, she looked like a deer leaping in place. One Pastor became a spiritual whirlwind right beside me and I felt and saw the heat and supernatural activity in that place like rarely before... something VERY special was happening.

Then very slowly, like a transition of movie scenes, Holy Spirit revealed to me a glimpse of Daddy on His Throne and, suddenly, it became completely clear why the room had burst into such spiritual flames. Holy Spirit showed me the form of Abba's beautiful head amid staggering white light, and within that light His head turned slowly, and He intently fixed His eyes on the group of us worshiping.

[Paraphrasing] - Your diligence and loyalty in worship and praise has caught the Father's special attention, Holy Spirit indicated. Saints, just from the focus of God's glorious head and eyes upon this gathering, the wind of the Spirit's holy manifestations went wild in that place! Talk about the power of His gaze! Whewwee! See what I mean? HALLELUJAH!

God looks - the earth and everything in it changes! We entered into supernatural spontaneous combustion in that place just because the Holy Heavenly Father's specific attentions turned to us... our hearts got His notice in particular, such that He actually turned and looked at us. Now, did He need to turn and look in order to see us? Of course not. He allowed the vision to be conveyed that way to emphasize His heart being pierced by our worship and total agreement in that place. Abba always appreciates that.

Daddy loves the undivided attention of His kids, and we were giving it to Him in one accord. Amen. Remember another fantastic thing that happened when a group of God's children were "all with one accord in one place"? Sure you do:

"When the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)

Unity and agreement are paramount to experiencing the mighty power of God's presence. Amen, and that blows us away! It seems the power of God is most greatly evoked by His love for His creation and their loving response. God is a good God, indeed. He is THE all-powerful, overflowing well of substance for the entire cosmos, and yet He thinks nothing of sitting on creaky, wooden steps beside a child joyfully playing Jacks. (Remember Ball and Jacks?)

He did not think Himself too lofty literally to be born among animals and placed in a manger. Nothing about Him was too exalted to touch and heal lepers crying for His help, or to stand still to recognize a woman who'd finally stopped bleeding uncontrollably, because His virtue touched her faith. God's loving condescension... that'spower, y'all. Hallelujah!